MirrorMask

2005

MirrorMask

Critics Consensus

While visually dazzling, there isn't enough story to hang all the fancy effects on.

54%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 89

80%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 70,923
User image

MirrorMask Photos

View All Photos (37)

Movie Info

A 15-year-old girl named Helena falls into a dream world where two queens are fighting in a bizarre land of fantastical creatures and masked inhabitants. Helena is charged with retrieving the MirrorMask to revive the sickly White Queen, but as she explores the strange world, she finds herself wondering if this is really a dream or something else more dangerous.

Watch it now

Cast

Stephanie Leonidas
as Helena
Jason Barry
as Valentine
Rob Brydon
as Morris Campbell/Prime Minister
Gina McKee
as Joanne/Queen of Light/Queen of Shadows
Dora Bryan
as Nan
Robert Llewellyn
as Gryphon
Stephen Fry
as Librarian
Andy Hamilton
as Small Hairy
Fiona Reynard
as Receptionist
Nik Robson
as Pingo
View All

News & Interviews for MirrorMask

Pseudo-Celeb "Hellboy 2" Set Reports Posted
RT-UK Exclusive: Send Us Your Questions for Neil Gaiman
Pic Explosion! "Underdog," "Stardust" and "Postal," Oh My
View All

Critic Reviews for MirrorMask

All Critics (89) | Top Critics (28)

  • Could be Exhibit A for anyone arguing the case that modern filmmaking lacks a strong sense of story.

    Oct 28, 2005 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

    Peter Howell

    Toronto Star
    Top Critic

  • Leonidas walks this tightrope quite engagingly, showing us a girl on the cusp of womanhood, torn between two competing needs -- to become an adult, to remain a child, to vilify, to revere.

    Oct 28, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

    Rick Groen

    Globe and Mail
    Top Critic

  • McKean's inexperience as a director trips the film. There is so much going on that the viewer can't take in all the imagery, and McKean's devotion to his skewed vision slows the story to a crawl.

    Oct 27, 2005 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

    Michael Senft

    Arizona Republic
    Top Critic

  • Too long, and too rich, for its own good, but clearly Gaiman and McKean were bursting with ideas. Those ideas fly all over the place, sometimes landing with a thunk, but more often taking the breath away.

    Oct 21, 2005 | Rating: 3/4

    Steven Rea

    Philadelphia Inquirer
    Top Critic

  • A 30-minute idea wrapped in a 100-minute movie. It's a jewel box filled with cubic zirconia.

    Oct 21, 2005 | Rating: 3/5

    Roger Moore

    Orlando Sentinel
    Top Critic

  • The narrative is simplistic and lacking in energy, and the characters are sketched instead of fully formed.

    Oct 21, 2005 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

    James Berardinelli

    ReelViews
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (89)

Audience Reviews for MirrorMask

  • Sep 10, 2016
    Beautiful visuals and some bursts of beautiful imagination but the plot lacked any sense of urgency or driving force, and the characters were not compelling. Felt like Neil Gaiman had a dream and wrote it down without bothering to shape it into a plot.
    Letitia L Super Reviewer
  • Jan 27, 2012
    A little on the dull side. Interesting elements but the story is all over the place.
    John B Super Reviewer
  • Aug 04, 2011
    While I was searching for a movie that would keep my interest just like the other ones in a library, I stumble upon this one known as MirrorMask. At first, I thought it was gonna be strange and awkward... Boy was I wrong. It caught my very interest and I think I'll write the plot in which we already know about. It tells about a 15 year old girl named Helena who works at a circus with her family and wishes to live in a real life. Suddenly, she finds herself transported into the Dark Lands with Giants, Monkeybirds and Sphinxes and must find the MirrorMask to save the kingdom and return home. When I watched it twice, everything that this movie throws totally blew me away. The premise about a young girl who gets transported to a magical fantasy land and is sent on a mission to find the MirrorMask to save the princess and get back to her own world was very interesting. The acting was magnificent, The visuals were creative and astounding, the scary moments were satisfying, and the CGI effects were solid and very unique. There are two problems with this movie however. 1. The fast pacing and 2. The tiresome minute length MirrorMask is a very good fantasy movie from famous author Neil Gaiman and it has a darker tone to go along with it. Thumbs Up. 8.8 out of 10
    Gavin C Super Reviewer
  • May 18, 2011
    This has got to be one of the strangest lloking movies i've ever seen. The cgi and hazed lighting they used is completely fake looking, but in a way that you see it as a fantasy world rather than bad production value. I think for the style trying to be achieved, that it works extremely well. I mean you really feel like you're peeking inside someone's dream. The costume design helps out a lot with this; it's almost as outrageous as the effects. While the story is essentially a modernization of The Wizard of Oz, it still manages to hold its own. While most of the acting is pretty bad and damaging to the overall movie, Stephanie Leonidas does a great job and works well as the protagonist we can all root for. Overall, it's a very interesting movie, it just doesn't have certain things that would make it a good deal better.
    Conner R Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

MirrorMask Quotes

There are no approved quotes yet for this movie.

News & Features